US AMBASSADOR CONFIRMS 'PROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOUR' OF CROATIAN ARMY

ZAGREB, May 6 (Hina) - A group of US embassy officials who visited Okucani and Jasenovac on Thursday have reported that the Croatian army had behaved professionally, US Ambassador Peter Galbraith said yesterday following talks with President Tudjman's Chief-of-Staff, Hrvoje Sarinic. Referring to the alleged looting in the area, Galbraith said the US embassy group had reported a few isolated cases of looting, mostly of shops stocking food and drink. But Croatian police were taking good care of property. The group confirmed that the Jasenovac memorial site and Orthodox churches in the area were intact, Galbraith added. The most important thing now was to protect the rights of Serbs and ensure the continued presence of UN personnel, which will reassure both the Serbs and the international community. "If the Serbs are protected, this will contribute to peaceful reintegration in Croatia," Galbraith said, adding that the US was closely monitoring the developments. Croatia confirmed that it wanted these Serbs to stay and that they would be treated decently, Galbraith said. "It is in their own interest to stay and I personally advise them to stay in Croatia, which is their home," he said. He reiterated that the US had not given their prior agreement to the highway action. Further developments should not go in that direction and a solution should be sought by diplomatic means, he stressed. (hina) as 061047 MET may 95